Paul Tan's Automotive Industry News
   

Proton Japanese CEO

This piece by Zainul Arrifin in the NST seems to indicate that Proton used to have a Japanese managing director back in 1988 - Mr. Kenji Iwabuchi, from Mitsubishi Motor Corp.

The top position went back to a Malaysian in 1993. Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh. 1988-1993, that’s 5 years.

So a foreigner in the top position at Proton isn’t really as foreign as you think it is.

15 Comments »

  1. DOG THE WAN said,

    August 18, 2005 @ 7:34 am

    Everyone only take care of his own ass. For Japanese, business is their interest not technology transfer!

  2. edw said,

    August 18, 2005 @ 1:50 pm

    forget about Proton….. let talk about Perodua MyVi.

    Perodua MyVi sales have hit 55,000 unit. I was at the service centre last tuesday, for my car MyVi first service, and had a conversation with the manager of PSSB, YES already surpass 55,000 units.

    it had been a long time since a national car have such sales record.

  3. DOG THE WAN said,

    August 18, 2005 @ 2:40 pm

    Come on lah, Myvi is not a national car. It was developed and owned by TOYOTA group.

  4. hfrshah said,

    August 18, 2005 @ 5:00 pm

    Perodua engineers helped design and develop the Myvi. its not entirely a national car, but its close. we shouldnt discredit them. its a massive forward leap, counting in the fact that Perodua is (relatively) a small company

  5. exo said,

    August 18, 2005 @ 5:09 pm

    nil…y u keep on promoting ur site here?? hurm…

  6. DAN said,

    August 18, 2005 @ 8:05 pm

    in the act produa it was a national car..

    if this. i really dont see our Malaysia really have there own n make any car that come out from there own Malaysians people, even there come out whit there own eo1 engine from Patronas but there sale out our effort n technology to other.

  7. akari said,

    August 18, 2005 @ 10:31 pm

    i dont know what other want, but for me, i want a affordable good car, who cares if it’s real national car or not? i’m not buying an art, which some weird art as long as by certain person can sold up to millions. we should thanks to perodua, if not today our 40k+ choice left only savvy which is real national car or used car, u cant complain n compare, no matter what u get form proton.

  8. mitsu_galant_2000 said,

    August 19, 2005 @ 12:10 pm

    bull shit perodua is a local call..
    51% share is still for our country ke hah?
    those majorities is that?

    edw = yet another fanatic angguk2 p2 lover. (and hijacker of this topic. )

    anyway. it’s 2 side of japanese being a CEO.
    Pro : All staff gonna works in Jaanese Style = Workaholic, Dicipline, Must On TIme..
    Con : Ohh.. forget first about the con… 3 phase above enough to desicribe What Will Happen Later..

    betterlah than malaysian to be a CEO.. = Malas - Tuduh sana-sini = gila duit.. ;)

  9. crash said,

    August 19, 2005 @ 12:32 pm

    Perodua not local lah… I’ve friend inside. Tell me that not much work done by Malaysian. Everything are bring in from Japan esp molding equipment. That why, the development cost very low and take in short time. As we know the powerplant also from japan. Our perodua not different as Naza (for Naza Ria n Citra) in point design and tech. For perodua, the material (plastic, glass etc) are Malaysian except inside engine room.

  10. alansm said,

    August 19, 2005 @ 2:17 pm

    National Car is only meaning full if it meet Malaysian Buyer expectation. If the outcome
    is crap, you can’t ask people to go out there and admit they are proud of this kind of archievement. Everyone want the best for their money. We really paid (dearly) for our
    “Malaysian Car”. What do we get in return? Boleh-lah-Product?

  11. jet said,

    August 19, 2005 @ 4:02 pm

    dear paul,

    i think the proton chairman Azlan should appoint himself as ceo; no use having two snake heads as leaders (chairman & ceo) or ceo which merely puppet of the chairman (check what happen to TM, he cross Azlan and was thrown out just like that)
    this the time Azlan to prove himself, if proton fail also (in term of quality, profit etc), send him to siberia- it’s the time we adopt responsibility ala japanese or korean

  12. DOG THE WAN said,

    August 19, 2005 @ 6:17 pm

    No no no…Azlan cannot be the CEO. Do you know why?

    If he make mistake, will he be fired too. He prefer to fire the puppet CEO instead of himself rights? Because Automotive business for him still RAGU-RAGU lah. Not even 50-50 chance le.

  13. who care? said,

    August 20, 2005 @ 12:23 pm

    who care whether is national car or foreign car? why we keep discussing or arguing this topic?
    what we all concern is get a quality car in a affordable price, right? national car? look at what proton done?
    i don’t care whether is national car or not. i just want to buy a quality car in an affordable price. as what u all always wish, if i not mistake. so stop arguing whether perodua is national car or not.

  14. Stingray said,

    August 23, 2005 @ 7:41 pm

    Hmm… Isn’t the Gen 2 and Savvy good quality car with affordable price? Solid build with cool style for both… actually, seriously thinking about getting a Savvy after trying out the car. Really solid!

  15. aksMS said,

    September 7, 2005 @ 8:52 pm

    Heheh..just remember something. Me mom is a HR Executives. A few weeks ago there is an opening for the SGM (Senior General Manager) post in the company as the previous one has retire. While she was screening and filtering all the application, guess who’s CV she found? A 22 yrs ol fresh grad. The whole family just burst out laughing. Poor fella. Just who da h*ll does dat fella think he/she is? WTF was he/she thinking? Its the snior post, for god sake!

    That left me to wonder. Are Proton hiring too many people like dat fella? Who think he/she are pandai enough just because “I have a degree”! Hehe…poor Proton.

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